Tyranny of Dragons: Corruption in Kryptgarden
by Archerlord
Summary: The Viridian Guardians, a band of small-time adventurers, are the local heroes of Westbridge. Yet, their leader, Dayereth Hanali, wants to make a bigger name for his family. When presented with the biggest job of his career, he jumps on the opportunity to take it. Now, the Viridian Guardians find themselves facing off against a nefarious cult in a forest and dragon's lair.
1. The Viridian Guardians

"Are you ready yet?!" Balthasar called out, his voice somewhat muffled by the wooden door in the way.

"Just 'bout," Dayereth called back. "One final check-up."

Dayereth looked at his reflection upon the mirror, giving a light smile to himself. His long brown hair fell down to his shoulders with his pointed ears extending backwards from it. With a clean face and tanned skin, he thought he looked pretty standard for a wood elf. He wore a green tunic with darker shaded shoulders, brown trousers, and green belt. His belt kept his outfit together while keeping his dagger, holstered to his hip, closeby.

Dayereth was normally not concerned regarding how he looked, but whenever he had a meeting with his fellow adventurers, he had to put a little more effort into his appearances. As leader of the Viridian Guardians, it was to be expected that he at least look the part during important. His adventuring group was a small band with their base in Westbridge, a few miles away from Waterdeep. To him, those under his leadership were like the family he never had.

Finally agreeing that he was ready for the day, Dayereth walked over the door that led outside his chambers and opened it. Standing before him was a brute of a man, standing two feet above the tiny wood elf. He ginger hair fell down past his neck and he wore no tunic or anything to cover his bulky chest. He wore green and brown plaid trousers that only covered his knees and a pair of boots. Across his right arm ran a black ink tattoo of a wolf, going down from his shoulder to his forearm. Even though he looked defenseless, the wood elf knew he could trust Balthasar for protection.

Dayereth and Balthasar went way back with the latter being hired to kill the former. The battle was short with a surge of magic overcoming the wood elf, who unleashed fierce lightning upon the bounty hunter. The man survived the conflict thanks to the treatment of his victor. Once he was awake, the barbarian was changed by the sorcerer's mercy, and pledged himself to protect him. The two traveled together ever since despite their differences.

"Mornin', Bal," Dayereth greeted. "Ready for that meeting?"

"I am, Dayereth," Balthasar grunted, looking to the side.

"Still not goin' to look me in the eyes?" Dayereth asked. "And I'll keep telling you this, but call me Day."

"I don't want you reading my mind," Balthasar walked away. "Come on. The meeting hall awaits."

"There you go again, with that whole 'elves can read minds if you look 'em in the eyes' bit," Dayereth followed after the brute. "You know, I just thought of something. You can't look me in the eye because I am an elf, right?"

"Correct," Balthasar nodded. "The same can be said for Birel."

` "How about Jarsali?" Dayereth asked. "She's part elf."

"Yes, but I have to keep an eye on her," Balthasar informed him. "She tried to kill you."

"I didn't mind that at all," Dayereth shrugged.

"She attacked you three times and successfully poisoned you before attacking a fourth," Balthasar reminded him. "Why do you trust her?"

"Well, she's a friend now, so what does it matter what she did in her past?" Dayereth answered with another question. "Also, I think half of the Viridian Guardians have tried to kill me at one point. Her, you, Nora, Jabble, and Birel. Say, if you're keeping an eye on threats, shouldn't you be looking at Birel too, even though he's an elf?"

"I'm going to stop talking now," Balthasar announced, followed by a sigh.

Dayereth was not surprised that he was constantly being targeted by mercenaries and assassins. Apparently, while he was growing up in his home village, one of the elders unearthed an ancient tablet, speaking of a powerful sorcerer bringing a reign of terror upon the world, and for some reason, the elder believed he was the source of the prophecy. Banishment was not enough to put an end to his supposed threat, with an unknown source hiring various adventurers to kill him. The wood elf never saw himself as a villain and proved it to his attackers by showing them kindness.

Dayereth and Balthasar walked in silence down the wooden hallway until they reached a staircase that led upwards. The barbarian led the way up with his companion following close behind. At the top was an ornate door with weaving vines carved into the wood. The bounty hunter opened the door and the two entered the meeting hall. It was a small room with a large oak table placed right in the center. Ten chairs were positioned around it and the sun beamed down on it from a window higher up against the wall.

Other members of the Viridian Guardians were starting to gather in the meeting hall for their session. Towards the head of the table was Nora Jamjar, the resident scholar and astronomer of their group. She was short, even for a halfling, with long, curly black hair that fell down her back, almost touching the floor. She wore simple, plain robes, that almost resembled a dress. Her blue eyes showed kindness while she smiled at the two guests. Given how good of a friend she was, Dayereth still found it hard to believe she was a warlock who was once interested in harnessing his untapped power. That was in the past now and she played a crucial part in helping him understand his magical talents today.

Finally, there was Donall Marvina, a dark-skinned human with a slim build. His black hair was braided and fell down his back while partially covering his green eyes. He wore no tunic of the like, revealing his lean chest, and had a belt hold up the lower part of his black robes with a golden stripe. He kept his scimitar sheathed at his side in case any trouble breaks out. Dayereth and Donall went way back. When the wood elf was first banished, he was fortunate enough to stumble upon a druidic enclave, who took him in. Back then, Donall was a druid in training, but was unafraid of the sorcerer. The two became friends, and when it came time to leave, they left together.

"Ah, Day, my good friend!" Donall greeted, standing up from his chair. "How good is it to see you again!"

"You too!" Dayereth returned the sentiments. "Nora, how're you?"

"Well enough," Nora nodded, remaining seated. "Good to see that you've come early today. I've heard that Jabble had a mission for us. A serious offer this time."

"The last one was a pretty serious job," Dayerth took a seat at the center of the table. "Really tough work too."

"We were called in to remove a beehive," Balthasar reminded him, taking a seat next to him.

"And the only reason it was difficult was because you would not let me use one of my spells to destroy the hive," Nora joined in. "You wanted to move them to a forest!"

"Why kill bees for being bees?" Donall asked insightfully, returning to his seat. "If we kill a bee for existing, then why don't we kill man for that same reason?"

Dayereth smiled, listening to the debate his friends had regarding the quests they took. Truth be told, they were a small time band of adventurers, amateurs on a good day. All of the big problems went to the more powerful and iconic heroes. That just left the Viridian Guardians to handle the local problems of all sizes, whether that was protecting Westbridge from assault or answering a favor called upon by a citizen. Just seeing the smile of someone he helped was enough award for him. It was worth more than all the gold in the world.

The door opened once more, followed by the elegant sound of an all too familiar horn. Stepping into the room now were the resident dwarves of the Viridian Guardians. In the front of the two was Olunt Morigak. He was tall for a dwarf and wore silver armor with vines patterned into it. A holy symbol in shape of an eye hung from his neck, with a thick mane of brown hair covering his face. Unlike most dwarves, paladin preferred style over length when it came to his beard, and it matched him well enough.

Behind Olunt was Valida Holderheki, who played a silver horn while following after him. She was a bard who wore an assortment of colorful clothing: a blue headband, a sleeveless black tunic, green wrist guards, yellow leggings that covered only the lower part of her legs, green shorts, and a red cape that hung at her back. Her auburn hair flew freely behind her as she made her way to the table. Unlike her fellow dwarf, she was more slim than bulky, but still could throw a hit when it came to a battle.

Olunt took a seat across from Dayereth, taking a stern nod. Valida quickly took the open seat next to the paladin, dropping the horn from her lips as she looked at her fellow dwarf. Olunt was the third to join the sorcerer's band of adventurers, and proved himself as a capable man of faith, if not misguided. He witnessed one of the wood elf's magical surges, which, much to his embarrassment, turned him into a potted plant, and viewed it as an omen from Helm, saying that it was his duty to help him grow. He was always interpreting strange events like that.

Valida, on the other hand, had more physical reasons to join the Viridian Guardians. She was the sixth to join, right behind Balthasar and Nora respectively. While the others were inspired to join for friendship, duty, and strange interpretations of events, the bard joined for a single reason: love. When she first laid eyes on Olunt, she thought it was love at first sight, and followed him relentlessly since then. She wrote poetry from her heart and played ballads in an attempt to win him over. The paladin made no attempt to return her affection, saying his duty came first. Still, Dayereth hoped he would open up to her. He thought they would make for a cute couple.

"Good mornin' Olunt and Val!" Dayereth greeted. "Are you excited for today? We're going to have a new quest to go on!"

"Aye, I just hope that we're not dealin' with bees," Olunt shuddered. "I'm still tryin' te figure out how they stung me when I'm livin' an armor."

"Ye were brave when th' swarm started te stin' ye," Valida complimented. "Ye kept calm while th' rest o' us were screamin' in pain or terror or anger."

"I was screamin' just as much as everyone else," Olunt corrected her bluntly

"Except for Donall!" Dayereth pointed out. "He was calm throughout the whole thing."

"I still question how you were able to keep calm during that," Balthasar glanced towards the druid. "It was chaos."

"I expect chaos to be chaos," Donall told him. "I do not fear the consequences of our actions. Our failings make us wiser."

"Did we really fail though?" Valida asked.

"At the very least, we were embarrassed thoroughly," Nora sighed.

The door opened once more, as nearly the rest of the Viridian Guardians entered. Taking the lead was Yasira Prixethur, a green dragonborn and cleric to Chauntea. Her scales were a sickly green with her eyes being a dark brown. She wore gray chainmail which closely resembled her scales with her holy symbol being hung from her mace, which was sheathed on her hip. Yasira was once considered a threat to the town of Westbridge, who misunderstood her intentions based on her appearance. In reality, the cleric cleared out a cave of goblins and erected a shrine to her diety on behalf of the town. The rumors were what led to a conflict with Jabble that was only solved by Dayereth's intervention.

Behind Yasira was Jarsali Kenta, a half-elf assassin monk and one of Dayereth's closest friends. Her body was slim with slight muscles on her arms from years of training. Her brown hair was short except for one, long ponytail that went down across her back. She wore a set of yellow robes with a sword sheathed and hidden underneath it. Jarsali was the first of the assassins to target Dayereth, and the most persistent. They have fought multiple times with her having the intention to kill. She has tried to poison him on two occasions. Once, she even disguised herself and tried to seduce the sorcerer to get close. That was very awkward. During their last fight, she asked why he kept sparing her. He responded that he thought of her as a friend, and invited her to join the Viridian Guardians. She accepted, and was the last one of the ten to join.

Finally, covering the rear, was Birel Ostoroth, a wood elf just like Dayereth. Their race was the only thing they had in common however. Birel was a ranger who fought alongside his giant badger, Panader. He wielded a longbow in battle and wore dark leather armor. His silver hair was cut short and the lower half of his face was hidden by a dark blue scarf. Truth be told, the sorcerer did not know much about Birel. He attacked the Viridian Guardians with no explanation and was beaten. The next day, he was living in the attic of their base. He has not spoken a single word during his stay, but he was a friend.

"Welcome, friends!" Dayereth greeted.

"Good morning, sir," Yasira took a seat at the table. "What shall we be fighting today?"

"Jabble has a job for us," Donall informed her. "Could be fighting."

"Could be a waste of time like last time," Nora added.

"Why do we trust the gnome for finding us contracts?" Jarsali sighed, taking the open seat next to Dayereth.

"Technically, he is the only one from the region," Balthasar reminded her while Birel took a seat next to him.

"Who better for the job than the actual adventurer?" Dayereth asked with a smile. "Jabble hasn't let us down before and he won't let us down now."

"Didn't he try te kill ye th' first time ye met?" Valida questioned.

"Yasira as well," Olunt nodded.

"The gnome, despite his size, is a great warrior," Yasira grinned. "I would love to fight him once more!"

"Aha, but I do not fight friends!" a voice called from the door.

Rolling into the room was the man of the hour, Jabble Ninkle. Jabble was the shortest among the Viridian Guardians, although he bragged about being tall for a gnome. He also bragged about being the strongest of his kind, although even Dayereth could beat him in an arm wrestling competition. He wore chainmail that was dyed green to fit in with the theme of the adventurers. His head was shaped sharply with his red hair spiked back.

Jabble jumped up, and landed on the final open chair with ease, resulting in applause and praise from Dayereth. Truth of the matter was, they had fought each other before. The forest gnome was the guardian of Westbridge, and when he caught rumors of a possible dragon, he went to investigate. It brought him to blows with Yasira, who he overpowered rather quickly despite the dragonborn's battle prowess. Dayereth was investigating the claims, and saw the good in the cleric. This brought him to blows with the hero, where they fought to a standstill. By then, Jabble saw the error of his ways, and agreed to work with the Viridian Guardians, going so far as to invite them to his home in Westbridge.

"Jabble, what an entrance!" Dayereth complimented, clapping his hands.

"Too much showing off for me," Jarsali shook her head.

"You have a job for us, little one?" Donall asked.

"Do I have the job for you!" Jabble declared, stepping on the table. "My good friend, Valero Brokengulf, has contacted-"

"Valero Brokengulf?" Olunt interrupted. "He's a bloody noble o' Waterdeep. How do ye know him."

"We go way back," Jabble shrugged. "He wants us to head out to meet him at the edge of Kryptgarden Forest for a job."

"What mission does he offer?" Nora questioned.

"Well, uh, he didn't tell me," Jabble admitted. "But he said it was important, and that he needed adventurers for the job!"

"Kryptgarden is a good day's march away from here," Balthasar grunted. "Are we sure that this is a good idea?"

"If this Valero fellah is a noble of Waterdeep, he's bound to be rich," Valida predicted. "We could be paid well."

"If so, the job will be dangerous," Yasira added, with Birel nodding in agreement. "My kind of job."

"It's settled then!" Dayereth declared, bringing his hands together. "Let's be off to Kryptgarden at once!"

* * *

 **A/N: What's this? A new Dungeons and Dragons story from Archerlord.**

 **That's right, folks. I decided to expand my Tyranny of Dragon series. Turns out there's a bunch of Adventure League material that a friend showed me. Said friend also told me how dull he thought of that material. I decided to take a new challenge and see what came from it. For timeline purposes, I will state now that this is taking place around the same time as the Defense of Greenest. I have no clue how successful this story will be, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I hope you enjoyed this introduction and if you feel the need to, go ahead and leave a review.**

 **Until next time.**


	2. Old Gnawbones

The Viridian Guardians spent the day traveling on the road with hours passing by. Birel led the way, accompanied by his giant badger, Panader. Behind them were Jarsali and Nora, with Dayereth and Balthasar taking up the center of their marching formation. Behind him was Donall, who was followed up by Jabble, Yasira, and Valida, who played her horn loudly to raise their spirits. Olunt covered the rear, intent on keeping guard over his comrades. Dayereth always enjoyed a good road trip with his fellow adventurers as it served to boost their spirits and gave the time to talk to each other

During the hours that passed, Dayereth and Donall reminicized on their previous journeys together. At one point, Valida tried making her move on Olunt by serenading him, but as always, the paladin was ever stoic. Nora once more tried to test if Birel was really mute or if he was faking, although, as she reported, the results were "inconclusive as always." Yasira and Jabble got into a playful round of taunting on who the better fighter was until Balthasar finally interjected that he was the best fighter of the Viridian Guardians. When no one bothered to challenge his claim of being the strongest, Dayereth laughed heartily.

After many hours of traveling, with the sun setting in the distance. They neared the edge of Kryptgarden Forest, with Dayereth briefly trembling at the sight. It was a vast forest with a thick shadow looming over it, signifying the trouble that awaited them there. Tents have been set up towards the border of the treelines, with dozens of various guards with an assortment of banners set up. The sorcerer, followed by Jabble and Balthasar, made his way up to the front of the march, getting a better look at the camp and picking out a command tent.

"That's a lot of people," Dayereth commented. "An army, almost."

"What kind of job did you say this was again, Jabble?" Balthasar glanced down at the gnome.

"Valero didn't give me any details," Jabble shrugged. "Just told me that our leader was suppose to meet him and his officers tonight if we were interested in the offer. Alone, might I add."

"Not happening," Balthasar grunted. "I shall go with him."

"You don't have to worry about me, Bal," Dayereth assured his friend. "Watch over the rest of the Viridian Guardians for me, big guy. If anything happens, I can handle myself. Jabble, you're in charge. See if you can find a spot for us to make camp for the night."

"Will do!" Jabble grinned.

"If you insist," Balthasar nodded.

When Jabble started shouting out orders, Dayereth broke off from the rest of the Viridian Guardians. He headed straight for the camp, expecting to be stopped by the guards. They stood out of his way, with some even nodding in respect to him. It was clear to see that they knew of who he was. He approached the command tent to see a man with tanned olive skin, groomed hair, and standing tall in bronze armor outside. The man took a glance towards the approaching elf and smiled before walking up to greet him.

"Well met, Dayereth," the man extended his hand. "I am Valero Brokengulf. Jabble spoke much of you and your Viridian Guardians."

"Call me Day!" Dayereth shook the man's hand. "When Jabble told me we had a job, I didn't expect so many men by the forest."

"As is to be expected," Valero told him. "Long has my family kept watch over Kryptgarden, for it is home to the lair of our ancient enemy, a despicable green dragon by the name of Claugiyliamatar, or Old Gnawbones for she is usually seen with a body within her teeth. She has killed many of my family and driven the rest of us into bankruptcy. She has devoured orcish hordes and terrorized kingdoms."

"So, it's pretty personal," Dayereth commented. "I'm not sure if the Viridian Guardians can stand up to such an opponent. I mean, we'll certainly try, but we've never seen a dragon before, much less fight one."

"Worry not!" Valero chuckled. "We only intend to destroy her lair, and now is the time to do so. The Cult of the Dragon is trying to convince Old Gnawbones to become a dracolich, but I'll leave the others to explain. Come, it's time for you to meet everyone else!"

Valero led Dayereth inside the command tent, which was lit by several lanterns. Inside was a table with eight chairs, two of which, both at the ends of the tables, were empty. Seated at the other chairs were all sorts of various figures. There was a woman with auburn hair and a regal-looking dress. To her side, a dwarf covered in heavy plated armor. Next to him was an elderly half elf man with silver hair and torn clothing covered in fetishes. On the other side of the table was an elven woman with blonde hair, a bald human priest, and a halfling girl holding onto her dagger.

"This is the leader of the adventurers you spoke of?" the regal-looking woman asked.

"Aye, this is Dayereth Hanali of the Viridian Guardians," Valero introduced and moved towards his seat.

"I prefer to go by Day!" He took his seat at the other end of the table.

"Of course," Valero nodded. "With us is Lady Dala Silmerhelve, my house's benefactor, Drom of the Order of the Gauntlet, Hendle of the Emerald Enclave, Lilith of the Zhentarim, Zalaren of the Lord's Alliance, and Windle of the Harpers. We have all come together to handle the Cult of the Dragon and Old Gnawbones."

"Good to meet you all!" Dayereth smiled. "So, what's the job?"

"To destroy Claugiyliamatar's lair, we have laid out three paths for your band of adventurers," Dala explained. "The first is to intercept stolen wagons before they could arrive at the keep and learn of the cult's leadership's location."

"The Zhentarim has a spy by the name of Yalek with the caravan," Lilith, the halfling, revealed. "He has information that could aid the group in the assault of the stronghold."

"The Zartuss Hobgoblins, the dragon's minions, have collected many supplies already," Zalaren, the priest, joined in. "If we wish to retrieve those supplies, the alarm cannot be sounded."

"It is imperative that the largest building, the barracks, is destroyed," Hendle, the elderly half-elf added. "Only then can Kryptgarden begin the process of returning back to normal."

"That sounds like it will be enough to deal with the stronghold," Dayereth nodded. "What else could we do that requires splitting up the Viridian Guardians?"

"The Zartuss Hobgoblins outnumber our forces with the Cult of the Dragon reinforcing them," Valero reported. "It may be a risk, but Hendle believes that we can convince King Witchthorn, a local fey lord within Kryptgarden, to aid us."

"It is risky, seeing as how Kryptgarden has corrupted the fey within," Hendle sighed out. "I would prefer that they were not killed. That would serve a better chance of convincing the king."

"It is imperative that King Witchthorn joins us instead of Old Gnawbones," Windle, the elven woman, told them. "No matter what that cost may be."

"And while yer at it, make sure that th' horn isn't sounded," Drom the dwarf bluntly said. "Better te keep th' element o' surprise as long as we can."

"This group will also have to deal with the Zartuss' siege weaponry," Zalaren added. "Such powerful weapons could turn the battle against us."

"It sounds like half of that can be done in the forest, and the other half in the stronghold," Dayereth noted. "I guess Witchthorn can get this group into the stronghold itself. And the third group?"

"They will be chasing rumors which could turn the tide of the battle," Dala explained. "We have received word of a possible meeting between the Red Wizards of Thay, which could make the upcoming battle even more tougher. The third group is to interrupt the meeting, determine the mage's origins, and remove them from the stronghold."

"The Red Wizards have knowledge that could be valuable," Windle commented with a grin. "If you can, please secure their spell tomes for us to study."

"They are also necromancers who could be defilin' th' dead we speak," Drom noted grimly. "Let th' dead have their peace if ye can."

"Truth be told, I think there may be more at stake here," Lilith brought up. "Try to capture a cultist if you can. We may be able to find out what the cult's true plans are."

"As payment, the Viridian Guardians will be able to keep any treasures they come across," Valero finished. "We ask much of you, but will you agree to aid us."

Dayereth thought it over and realized that the collective alliance was asking much of the Viridian Guardians. They were asking so much that he was having a hard time keeping it all remembered. All he registered was that there was a lot of danger ranging from hobgoblins to fey creatures to necromancers. The sorcerer would not rather have his family fight against such threats for it could mean that they could suffer pain.

Yet, Dayereth reminded himself that this was their shot at the big leagues. There were more powerful adventuring groups out there, and if the Viridian Guardians were going to end up on their level, they needed to take these risks. The sorcerer was certain that they would emerge from the upcoming battles unscathe and earn more treasure to their treasury and stock to their name. They already came this far and it was time to continue on their path.

"The Viridian Guardians will drive out Old Gnawbones from Kryptgarden Forest!" Dayereth declared. "I just need to let the others know."

"Make haste," Valero nodded. "In the morning, the battle begins."

* * *

 **A/N: I have two announcements to make. The first, the one I forgot to make with the first chapter, is that updates will take place on Fridays. However, that won't matter, for my second announcement, I will be taking a break from writing until April 13.**

 **Until next time.**


	3. Into The Woods

The Viridian Guardians had set up camp shortly away from the edge of Kryptgarden Forest. They only had simple tents pitched and a small campfire set up. With the sun set, the warm fire was enough light for them. Olunt finished making a tasteless gruel for the adventuring group, who prepared for a final meeting for the night. Thanks to prompting from Donall and Jarsali, Dayereth was able to recall the various missions assigned to them. Balthasar was able to drag over decently sized boulders for the group to sit on. They gathered around the campfire, processing the information their leader gave them.

"I'll be th' first te say it," Olunt started with a grunt. "We're not gittin' paid enough fer th' job."

"I think that the treasure we receive will be enough," Jabble replied back. "Imagine the size of that dragon's hoard!"

"It is a big army, but we can handle it!" Dayereth declared with a grin.

"Day, he meant hoard, as in treasure, not horde, as in army," Jarsali sighed. "I'm with Olunt on this. A dragon such as Claugiyliamatar is beyond our strength."

"No dragon is beyond my strength," Yasira snorted.

"We wouldn't fight a dragon, just her hor-, army," Jabble replied.

"And hobgoblins aren't known for their impressive wealth," Nora analyzed. "The Viridian Guardians were promised every piece of treasure that we find, but there is no guarantee that we will secure our reward."

"Think of this like a stepping stone," Donall told the group, stroking his chin in deep thought. "We step up now. We take and complete this job. This will have our name known by the major factions of Faerun. Therefore, we do this, and more quests, ones that offer more payment, will be available for our choosing."

"Donall, for all of your experience, please tell me you don't think we should do this," Jarsali looked questioningly at her comrade.

"My opinion matters little," Donall shrugged. "Regardless of our words, Day will call for a vote, and when that happens, I will side with him. He has led us this far."

"And you should all know that I am voting we do this," Dayereth revealed. "That's right. I'm calling for the vote right now!"

"And I vote for taking the quest," Donall nodded in agreement. "It stands at two to zero."

"An' we have yet te tally everyone," Olunt argued. "Fer th' sake o' our survival, I vote against goin' against th' dragon an' her hobgoblins."

"Agreed," Jarsali joined in. "The vote's tied now."

"I didn't have us march this far just so we can turn back before we even try thejob!" Jabble stood up on his rock, pointing towards Dayereth. "I shall follow you, leader!"

"And I as well," Yasira decided. "A hobgoblin does make for a fierce and worthy opponent."

"After much deliberation, I must oppose the notion of accepting the mission," Nora concluded.

"Dayereth, my loyalty lies with you, but your safety comes first," Balthasar reminded his leader. "For your own good, I'll have to side against with you on this."

"I can look after myself," Dayereth huffed. "Val, you've been awfully silent. What say you?"

"Oh, uh, what?" Valida, who was looking at the sky, turned to face the group. "So, I might not have been payin' attention. What did I miss?"

"Valida, we're taking a vote," Donall told her. "What say you-"

"I'll vote with whatever Olunt voted fer," Valida interrupted.

"Five te four," Olunt counted

All eyes immediately turned to Birel, whose gaze remained concentrated on the fire. Occasionally, he threw a piece of wood into the burning blaze to keep it lit. His giant badger, Panader, was sleeping by his feet. Dayereth always thought as Birel as a friend but could never be sure what the other elf was thinking. Kind of hard to tell that since he never spoke a single word and kept half of his face covered. The sorcerer could only assume that the ranger had been paying attention to the conversation and was thinking on their best course of action.

Finally Birel raised his head up from looking at the fire, taking a glance at each of his friends. His gaze remain longer on Olunt and Dayereth, the two leaders of each stance. Would the wood elf decide to fight against the hobgoblins, led by a powerful green dragon? Would he see that they were over their heads and lead the way back home? Or maybe, he was just bored, wanted to avoid a potential tie, and vote for Olunt? Finally, he made his choice, raising a finger.

Birel pointed towards Dayereth.

"And that settles that," Dayereth grinned. "The vote stands at six to five."

"Day, it's five to five," Jarsali told her friend.

"You're forgetting about Panader," Dayereth pointed out. "He would naturally side with Birel."

Birel nodded in agreement to Dayereth's statement.

Panader turned over in his sleep.

"Are we countin' the badger's vote now?" Olunt grunted. "We are a joke."

"At least we're one of those good jokes, right?" Valida asked with a smirk.

"A joke is still a joke," Donall thought out loud. "Regardless, we should decide on how we should split up the party."

"That's right," Dayereth quickly took command and held up three fingers. "One group will have to sneak into the stronghold. The second group will have to convince King Witchthorn to aid us. The final group will have to deal with the necromancers rumored to be here."

"I advise that the two of us handle King Witchthorn," Donall spoke. "As a druid, fey are easy to speak with, And as for you, Day, it is best that if the leader of the Viridian Guardians to show a king respect to convince him."

"Sounds like a plan," Dayereth nodded in agreement.

"If he goes, I go too," Balthasar grunted.

"Put me down for sneaking into the stronghold," Jarsali spoke up. "I am the most experienced with such matters."

"You can lead the group," Dayereth announced. "Who do you want with you?"

"Birel," Jarsali answered without hesitation. "He is the least likely of all of you to blow my cover."

"Is that because he is silent?" Valida joked.

"It is," Jarsali replied bluntly. "One word from anyone else, and that's our cover blown."

"I'm comin' as well," Olunt declared. "Yer goin' te need backup in case anythin' goes wrong."

"Fine, just leave the talking to me," Jarsali sighed.

"Ye know, I can come with ye," Valida offered, although her gaze was focused on Olunt rather than Jarsali. "I'm pretty good at talkin'."

"Two dwarves would stick out too much for my liking," Jarsali shook her head.

"Worry not, fair Valida!" Jabble patted the dwarf on her shoulder. "I shall lead the remaining members of the Viridian Guardians to track down and defeat the necromancers!"

"Fair enough," Dayereth nodded. "Any complaints."

The remaining Viridian Guardians remained silent, having nothing left to talk about. Dayereth smiled widely, appreciating the family he had. Sure, they may argue from time to time, but what family did not fight each other at times? What mattered was that they would find an agreement on any trouble they come across. Dayereth was confident that despite their disagreements, they would find a way to handle the Zartoss, the corrupted fey, and diabolical necromancers.

Jarsali was Dayereth's first pick for who will handle the supply wagons and infiltrate the stronghold. She was persistent, determined, and had the skills to get the job done. Birel was silent enough to sneak through and competent enough to handle himself while following orders. Olunt was an odd choice for coming, but if they were discovered, they would need his mighty strength and powers to get through the day. And of course, Panader was a valued member of the Viridian Guardians who would pull his weight.

It was only natural that Jabble would lead one of the groups. It was his idea and his contact that brought them to the edge of Kryptgarden forest tonight. Unfortunately, Yasira would likely not face any hobgoblins, but she respected the forest gnome enough to follow him and fight by his side in battle. Nora may have her disagreements, but at the very least, studying from the necromancer's could encourage her. Valida was certainly disappointed to be away from Olunt, but at the same time, she needed to learn to be independent of him as well.

Finally, Dayereth was excited for his own group. He, Donall, and Balthasar al went back long ago. The trio would do well enough to combat any trouble that they came across and convince King Witchthorn to side against Claugiyliamatar. Donall was correct when it came to this job being a stepping stone. Their success here determines the future of the Viridian Guardians as a whole. Maybe one they, he and his friends would be adventurers that save the land, the world, as legends of the past have done.

"To conclude tonight's meeting, we'll assign night shifts," Dayereth told everyone. "Balthasar will cover the first shift, Olunt the second, and Birel the final one. Any objections."

No one offered any complaints and the Viridian Guardians set out about preparing to rest for the night. Balthasar remained on his rock, pulling out his greataxe and holding it in his hands in preparation of the night watch. Dayereth doubt that they would encounter any trouble, but better safe than sorry. The leader himself prepared for rest by starting to trance. The Viridian Guardians would need to be at full strength for the battles tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: And with finals out of the way, I am back to writing this story. Next week, the adventurers will proceed into Kyrptgarden Forest to deal with the various threats!**

 **Until next time.**


	4. The Caravan Attack

When morning came, Jarsali and her team were the first of the Viridian Guardians to depart. Birel woke them up when the sun was rising and they departed into the forest. Their task was time sensitive. In order to get into the stronghold, they had to ambush a caravan and take it over. The caravan was already on the move, giving them little time to wait. She figured that after spending a good amount of time trespassing the forest, the caravan was about a hour away. They needed to be careful with their timing. If they go too fast, they may alert the caravan. Too slow, and they miss it entirely.

Kryptgarden Forest was a maze to the group with thick trees and fog. Thankfully, with Birel leading the way, it was easy to navigate. Jarsali followed closely behind with Panader and Olunt covering the rear. When the silent ranger turned unexpectedly, she did not question him on why. The elf was an expert tracker who knew what he was doing. She was worried for the other two groups, both of which lacked a navigator. It would have been easy to get lost in the forest, and doing so would likely be dangerous for anyone.

Eventually, Birel led the group to a small clearing when he held his fist up for the group to stop. It was dark with only a few shafts of sickly green light able to break through the dense trees. In the center of the clearing was a column of stone, worn out from time. The trees surrounding the clearing were twisted and covered in moss. They were unlike anything Jarsali have ever seen before. She knew full well that the trees were a result of a dragon's influence, corrupting the wilderness around them.

"We rest here," Jarsali announced. "Five minutes, that's it. Then we continue onwards."

"As ye command, lass," Olunt nodded, gazing upon the column while Birel and Panader walked around the clearing. "Huh. Would ye look at that?"

"The column?" Jarsali asked.

"Aye," Olunt nodded, approaching it. "Elven architecture. At least over a thousand years old."

"You can tell just by looking at it?" Jarsali questioned, doubting the dwarf's word.

"I'm a dwarf, so I know about stone," Olunt grunted. "Now, maybe if I had some elven blood in me, like ye, I could try te figure out if this belongs te th' kingdom o' Illefarn, or o' Rilithar. What de ye think?"

"You're asking the wrong person," Jarsali shook her head. "I have elven blood in me, but I do not know much about that side."

"Raised by yer human parent, I take it?" Olunt predicted.

"Not even that," Jarsali told the dwarf. "Orphanage. The only thing I know about my parents is that one has the last name of Kenta. That's it."

"Yer just tryin' te guilt trip me, aren't ye?" Olunt chuckled. "Raised by both parents, two younger brothers. An' that's not even countin' the extended family o' my clan."

"You're lucky to have a family," Jarsali sighed.

"Don't ye look so glum, lass," Olunt tried to assure his friend. "Ye got family. An' te show ye that, I'm goin' te take ye an' th' other Guardians out te see my clan's stronghold."

"I'm not sure how the others will think about going underground," Jarsali slowly smiled. "It might be a tight fit for some of us."

"My clan's stronghold is special," Olunt corrected her. "We're on an island several hundred miles away from th' Sword Coast. No room te go underground, so we're all above ground."

"Your clan lives above ground?" Jarsali grinned. "Are you sure you're not a short human?"

"I'm tall fer my kind!" Olunt defended himself with a huff.

The two were interrupted with Birel snapping his fingers loudly. From working together, the Viridian Guardians soon found out that whenever he had something important to show them, he would snap his fingers repeatedly. Jarsali and Olunt walked over to the ranger, who pointed down at the ground. While they were distracted by each other, he had found two pairs of tracks. She nearly gasped, recognizing the canine-like tracks as part of her studies.

"Worgs," Jarsali muttered. "This must be their territory."

"An' what difference does that make?" Olunt asked. "Weren't we about te leave anyways?"

"If they have our scent, they will follow us," Jarsali told Olunt with Birel walking away. "And where do you think you're going?"

If Birel could speak, he would have said something along the lines of away from the worgs. The two worgs, lying in ambush in the dense forest cover, ran forward to where Jarsali and Olunt gathered. The first one lunged at Olunt, biting into his armor and knocking the dwarf into the ground. Jarsali ducked underneath the second attacker, pulling out her shortsword. She turned to help her friend only to see that he was saving himself. He grabbed hold of the worg and threw it off him, standing up with his battleaxe and shield in hand.

Jarsali instead focused her attention on the worg that dared to attack her. It snarled at her, ready to pounce once more. She remained stoic, knowing that her training gave her the advantage. Holding her sword in one hand, she and the worg charged each other at the same time. The worg leapt to pounce her. She was faster than the beast, swinging her sword to slash across its pelt. With a single punch, she was able to send it crashing down onto the ground. A swift kick to the neck was all it took to finish her foe.

The others focused their attention on the other worg during her brief duel with her opponent. Olunt and Panader both managed to injure it, but the battle was going downhill for them. The dwarf struck out with his battleaxe but missed, leaving him wide open for another bite from the worg. Jarsali noted that its teeth and her friend's armor were stained with blood. Panader tried to strike with his claws and teeth but could not break through its fur. Jarsali charged in, striking across its back with her sword and a punch. It turned to snarl at her, only to be shot down by an arrow fired by Birel, who was safe from the battle.

"Damn bastard!" Olunt insulted the worg, kicking it.

"Heal yourself, Olunt," Jarsali told the dwarf, walking away. "It's time we continue on."

"I don't need te heal myself just yet," Olunt shook his head. "I'll press on."

Jarsali worried about her friend's condition but knew that she could not convince him to change his mind when he was set. Once more, Birel silently led the way through Kryptgarden Forest, the group leaving the worgs behind. They pressed on for a good amount of time when Birel held his fist out once more, stopping the group. Through thick patches of fog, the half-elf could see that a path had been cleared with tree limbs moved off to the side. The stillness of the forest had been broken up by wooden creaking. Wagons, coming up on their position.

Jarsali motioned for the group to crouch down, spying on the approaching caravan. There were two wagons, each filled with cargo, being pulled by gaunt horses that nearly look undead. Two male soldiers, wearing the tabard with a red flame and burning eyes held in a claw, manned the front wagon. At the back wagon was a male and female soldier. Jarsali noted that the male one had a scar upon his face, marking him as the spy they needed to rescue. The caravan was followed by a large beastly man dragging his club behind him.

"Is that an ogre?" Jarsali asked.

"Nay," Olunt shook his head, pulling out a javelin. "If I had te take a guess, it's got some ogre blood in it. Half-ogre, likely."

"Birel, send Panader out to hold the half-ogre back," Jarsali instructed. "You can keep shooting at it with your longbow."

"Ye got te be kiddin' me!" Olunt grunted with Birel pointing two fingers at the half-ogre. "I can take th' big guy!"

"Not with the way you are," Jarsali shook her head. "You can deal with the two scouts up front. I'm going to focus my efforts on securing the man in the inside."

"Fine," Olunt sighed. "But I get te make th' first strike."

"Deal," Jarsali nodded.

Olunt grinned and stood up from where he stood. Without hesitation, he threw his javelin, striking one of the soldiers at the lead wagon in the shoulder. He followed Jarsali and Panader out of their cover and into the battle. While Panader clawed at the half-ogre's legs, Jarsali threw a dart at the female warrior, striking her in the throat. The scarred spy hopped off the wagon and fell onto the ground. The woman went after the spy only for Jarsali to finish her off with one final dart throw as she neared the wagon. The fallen warrior fell down to the ground with the half-elf hopping up on top of it, pulling the wagon to a stop.

The rest of the ambush went by smoothly. Birel shot at the half-ogre once with his bow, poking its eye out. The beast of a man struck Panader with his club. Such a blow would have fell any other badger. Thankfully, Panader was no normal badger, and bit the half-ogre in its leg. The hybrid let out a roar of pain as nearly collapsed, allowing for his foe to slash at his chest, putting an end to his life. Jarsali was surprised to see that a badger felled a half-ogre but it got the job done.

When Olunt engaged the two other scouts, he had the advantage. He struck with his battleaxe, a faint, golden aura surrounding the edge as he finished off the injured warrior. The other warrior, in turn, impaled his sword through the dwarf. Jarsali hopped over to the second wagon, ready to engage the final cultist in battle. He threw the dwarf away and readied to continue the fight. Before either could proceed, an arrow struck the warrior in the chest. He fell off the wagon and was promptly crushed by the wheels.

"I had that under control," Olunt groaned in pain while Jarsali pulled the final wagon to a stop.

"Sure you did," Jarsali shrugged. "Are you going to heal yourself now?"

"I can take more hits," Olunt assured her.

"Did the Zhentarim sent you?" the remaining warrior emerged from hiding behind the wagon. "The name's Yalek."

"Jarsali Kenta," she introduced. "Yalek, how much do you know about the Cult's operations."

"The mercenaries I traveled with were hired by the old-styled cultists," Yalek explained. "They were going to offer food, water, and other supplies to earn Old Gnawbone's favor."

"Te sway her over te her side," Olunt stood up, dusting himself off. "A dracolich o' that power is dangerous business."

"They want more than that," Yalek revealed. "They're after an artifact held in her possession. Some sort of green mask? I don't know."

"A green dragon mask?" Jarsali raised an eyebrow.

"Is that some kind o' joke?" Olunt spat saliva and blood on the ground. "A damn mask?"

"Garbul, warlord of the hobgoblins, watches over it," Yalek explained. "It's got to be important."

"Thank you for this update," Jarsali bowed. "You're free to go. Olunt, bandage yourself up. Birel, keep guard over the wagons and find a way to sneak Panader into the stronghold. I'll tend to the tabards so we have a suitable disguise."

Olunt got to work, sitting down by one of the wagons to take his armor off. Birel was distracted, looking up to the sky. Jarsali followed his gaze to find a fist-sized orb, translucent in the air. As quickly as she saw it, it disappeared. The half-elf gulped, knowing too well what she saw. Even though she was no spellcaster, she could identify certain magical effects, and that was a scrying sensor.

Old Gnawbones knew that they were coming now.

* * *

 **A/N: As noted with the Defense of Greenest, I am back from hiatus. Here's to a new year.**

 **Until next time.**


	5. Princess Ishaldra

Dayereth, Donall, and Balthasar had the luxury of being assigned a path through Kryptgarden Forest. The area where King Witchthorn was rumored to reside had been marked on their math, along with a route that led there. They were informed that the route was clear of Zartuss hobgoblins. Although, if Old Gnawbones was looking for an alliance with the dark fey, that may have changed. They pressed on with caution, unsure of what challenges they could have faced.

After a moment of thinking about what dangers could await them, Dayereth decided not to worry about it. Balthasar was a mighty warrior who would protect them while Donall himself were adept spellcasters. If it was a hobgoblin warrior that attacked them, they would be struck down. On the other hand, if they dealt with fey, they would have to proceed carefully. It was their job to stop the alliance, and from what they heard of, King Witchthorn was a powerful and evil fey lord.

As the forest grew thicker and an unsettling fog settle in on the group, they came upon a clearing. A cold wind blew across them as they took notice of a hobgoblin corpse, one that had been dyed green. Off to the side was a stone archway, covered in vines. Across the ridge, Dayereth's elven ears picked up sounds of battle and screaming. The sorcerer prepared to run off to investigate, but Balthasar grasped onto him with a hand.

"No," Balthasar grunted. "Not safe to rush into danger."

"Shouldn't we know about what's going on?" Dayereth asked.

"And we shall," Donall nodded, placing a hand on Balthasar's wrist to gently have him release the sorcerer. "Day, I want you to take a look at the archway. I shall examine the body. Bal, you may scout ahead however you wish."

Balthasar slowly nodded and walked off to one of the trees. Grasping it with both hands, he started to climb up to get a better view of their surroundings. Donall gracefully walked over to the fallen hobgoblin, examining him. Dayereth could see two arrows protruding from his back but trusted his friend to figure out why he was green. That left the sorcerer to investigate the archway. He moved forward, pulling off some of the vines from the stone to get a better look.

Dayereth was not too much into history as some of his companions were. His teachers tried to teach him lessons of the ancients, but they went through one ear and out the next. The young sorcerer could not have found out who built it, but thanks to his knowledge in magic, he knew what its purpose was. The runes on it indicated that it was used for teleportation in the past, but that power had long passed. Dayereth hoped to remember that it was still here when he learned how better to control his powers. Maybe he could reactivate the gateway one day.

"So, this gateway is used for teleportations," Dayereth turned around. "What did you find out?"

"It is hard to determine what exactly killed this hobgoblni," Donall reported, pulling off a necklace of fingers the fallen hobgoblin wore around his neck. "Asides from the arrows, he suffered blunt trauma and cuts from blades."

"Ew," Dayereth gagged, looking on the necklace. "Hobgoblins wear that?"

"The Zartuss Clan does," Donall nodded, digging a small hole. "They believe that by collecting the fingers of their fallen foes, the fallen are bound to them in death. Perhaps now, they will find the freedom they seek."

"Do you actually believe that?" Dayereth asked.

"I believe in a lot of things," Donall placed the necklace down in the hole, and covered it in dirt. "May your spirits know rest, my fallen friends."

Dayereth bowed his head out of respect when Balthasar jumped down. "Trees don't show anything. It's tough to see through them."

"Then we continue on," Dayereth declared.

Balthasar led the way to where the sounds of fighting was coming from, followed by Dayereth and Donall. They came upon a battle that was nearing its conclusion. A hobgoblin struck down a satyr before tripping over the corpse of one of his fallen comrades. Two other satyrs advanced, brandishing blades. They had won the battle over the Zartuss hobgoblin without mercy.

"They're corrupt," Balthasar growled lowly.

Dayereth and Donall took a moment to examine them closely now that they were no longer fighting. He had heard that satyrs were joyous fey of the forests, with a human body and head and a goat's legs and horns. Yet, seeing them approach, the sorcerer was frightened by their gaunt faces. They were covered in green growths and boils and moss grew on the hair of their legs. Dayereth instinctively backed away. He recalled that when a dragon builds their lair, it taints the land surrounding it. Could these magnificent creatures fallen victim to such corruption?

"More blood for Claugiyliamatar!" one of the satyrs declared.

"Kill!" the second satyr gasped.

"That answers that," Dayereth nodded. "Viridian Guardians, to arms!"

Dayereth chanted words of evocation, three purple darts forming in his hand. All three Magic Missiles pounded into the first satyr, who growled. Balthasar advanced, pulling out his greataxe, which he slammed into the shoulder of the injured satyr. The corrupted fey pushed on, slashing across the barbarian's exposed skin. He growled, and thankfully, could take a few more hits. The uninjured satyr was attacked by Donall, who wielded his scimitar and shield with grace. Despite being a druid, he was not afraid to get up close and personal when it mattered.

Dayereth stayed in the back, pulling out his crossbow and shooting it at the satyr he previously attacked. It hit the shoulder while he called upon more of the arcanic power he had been gifted with. Channeling his sorcery, he unleashed three more Magic Missiles upon the satyr Donall fought. However, after casting that spell, he felt a power building up in him. The sorcerer gulped, understanding what was about to happen next. He had to release more power, and he prayed that it would not harm his companions.

Thankfully, it would not come down to that. Instead, he was surrounded by falling petals and fluttering butterflies. Dayereth recalled that they were simple illusions and let out a sigh of relief. Better to leave his magic on standby for now. He reloaded his crossbow while Balthasar beheaded the satyr he fought against. Donall traded blows with his foe, each sustaining a cut. Finally, the sorcerer finished reloading, and fired upon the remaining satyr. The bolt went through his eye, putting the satyr out of his corrupted misery.

"These fey have fallen far from grace," Donall sighed.

"Are you surrounded by butterflies?" Balthasar asked, turning around to face his leader.

"Ayep!" Dayereth smiled. "Almost lost control there for a moment. Well, I did, but the butterflies are harmless!"

"Still, it would be wise of you to keep a hold of your powers," Donall advised. "Nora would like to hear of this for her research."

"Of course," Dayereth nodded. "Shall we get going?"

"Lead the way," Donall replied.

The trio returned to the path, following it with Dayereth at the lead. He was slightly worried about what to expect from King Witchthorn. If some of his own subjects were corrupted, it could be possible he was too. And he was already considered to be one of the darker fey as well. The sorcerer gulped, realizing that they may be in more trouble than they were expecting. Still, he believed that his team would be able to survive whatever challenges come next.

Eventually, they started to travel downward through a valley. They traveled for a long time, and Dayereth knew something was off. By now, they should have reached the bottom of where they were going, yet the path continued on. This could only mean that they were nearing King Witchthorn's realm. Finally, they came upon the end of their path, although a new one veered to the right. There were two signs present and Dayereth read the first once out loud.

"Princess Ishaldra," Dayereth announced. "She's one of King Witchthorn's consorts."

"The second sign is blank," Balthasar declared. "And it's leading to the dead end."

"How pelicular," Donall noted.

"Looks like we have only one path to take!" Dayereth walked on the new path. "Today's an exciting day. Not only I get to meet a king, but I get to meet a princess! Talk about an adventure!"

"I wouldn't want you to get too attached to the princess," Donall followed after their leader. "Someone you know may not like that."

"What do you mean?" Dayereth asked innocently, looking over his shoulder.

"You'll understand when you're older," Donall chuckled lightly.

"I wouldn't want you to get close to her because she is likely corrupt, just like the satyrs," Balthasar told him, covering the rear.

The path turned into a tree-lined clearing, although to Dayereth, what he saw horrified him. There was a river flowing through the clearly, although the water within was tainted and smelled something fierce. It trickled through a broken dam, flowing over several dead trees. There was only one tree remaining: a mighty oak tree. However, its branches are bent and gnarled by growing vines emerging from the water.

The corrupted vines digged into the bark of the oak tree, wrapping around it. Dayereth noticed that another fey creature, a beautiful dryad with bark skin and emerald hair, was bound to the tree by the vines. They gagged her, preventing from screaming out in pain from the black liquid streaming in her eyes. Up on top of the oak tree, there were four small imp-like creatures tearing apart the tree, cackling madly.

"She's dying," Dayereth gasped.

"The liquid falling upon her is some sort of sap," Donall noted, remaining calm. "Bal, we won't be cutting her down."

"I know," Balthasar looked alarmed. "I hear what she's screaming. The vines may try to silence her, but I hear her calling out water."

"Of course," Donall nodded. "The dam has to be responsible for this corruption. Day, clear it out. Bal, remove the vines. I shall heal the princess."

"Right," Dayereth weakly agreed, pulling out his staff. "Saving the princess is what adventurers do, right?"

Dayereth pushed himself forward, running off to the dam. He pulled out his quarterstaff and jumped into the water. There were several jammed logs in the dam that had to be cleared. Dayereth pushed his quarterstaff against the logs as the water battered against him. The sorcerer felt that the longer he kept up, the more sick he grew. Worse, he was not making much progress in saving the tree.

Thankfully, his companions were doing much better. Balthasar grasped onto the vines and ripped them free from the tree with a mighty roar. The dryad fell down to the ground while the four creatures jumped down, surrounding the mighty barbarian. Donall came to his aid, stepping over the dryad and bringing both arms over his chest. When he brought his arms to his side, he unleashed his Thunderwave, blasting the creatures away. Balthasar, caught in the crossfire, grunted in pain, and ran off to the brook while the druid knelt by the dryad.

Balthasar jumped into the water and was quick to notice the problem as well. He pulled the logs out, although he was taking in the sickly water as well. That was enough to convince Dayereth to work harder, to keep his friend out of danger. The sorcerer was able to pull the last jammed log out, restoring the damn. The water came to an end, no longer flowing towards the tree. The duo walked back to Donall, who was muttering a healing incantation over the druid. Slowly, he pulled away some of the vines away from her mouth, revealing a gentle smile.

"Thank you," the dryad whispered. "I am Ishaldra."

"You are welcome," Donall bowed his head with Dayereth kneeling down before the princess. "We are happy to save your life."

"And the life of the treant," Ishaldra motioned to the tree. "He is sleeping now, recovering, but he is no longer corrupt."

"All in the day's work for the Viridian Guardians," Dayereth smiled. "I am the leader, Day, and these are my companions, Donall, and Balthasar. We seek audience with King Witchthorn, although not sure where to find him."

"Oh, well, of course you may be a little confused," Ishaldra smiled. "Come, I shall show you the way. He will grant you your audience."

Donall helped the princess up from the ground and supported her down the pathway. Balthasar glared up to the sky. Dayereth was unsure of what had his friend in such a mood but then followed his gaze. Before it blinked out of existence, Dayereth caught a glimpse of a translucent orb. It was magical, but unlike anything he had seen before. If Donall was focused on it rather than the princess, he might have an idea. Regardless, the Viridian Guardians pushed on. It was time to meet King Witchthorn and sway him to their side.

* * *

 **A/N: The party may be split, but even that won't have to stop them from getting their quest done.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
